RESULTS from the first month of Canberra’s pill-testing service revealed 58 drug samples were provided, including one methamphetamine sample which was found to actually be sugar.

Researchers from The Australian National University (ANU) released the report today (August 25), which showed a multitude of drug samples had been provided since opening the pill-testing site on July 21, the first of its kind in Australia.

A range of drugs were deposited at the ACT’s CanTest Health and Drug Checking service, including ketamine, MDMA, heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine, with 18 of the 58 drug samples being discarded.

The researchers found cocaine deposited at the service had purity levels of 27 per cent, and 40 per cent of cocaine samples had no cocaine at all.

One-hundred per cent of heroin samples contained heroin, with purity levels ranging from 31 per cent to 63 per cent.

Nineteen MDMA samples were tested, with 13 containing the drug, and five of seven ketamine samples contained ketamine.

Fifteen samples have been tested for traces of fentanyl, but none have been found to contain it.

A range of other drugs were detected, including psychedelics, and in two test cases unknown samples were presented with lactose and piracetam – a chemical thought to help cells in the brain and blood vessels to function better.

ANU Associate Professor David Caldicott said people who attended the pill-testing site reported feeling safe and respected.

“The idea that Australia will ever be ‘drug-free’ is magical thinking from a bygone era; an era that has singularly failed in the goals which it espoused,” said Caldicott.

“Through the CanTEST service we are engaging with a new generation of young consumers, many of whom have never sought advice on their drug consumption before now.”

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